


All By Myself

by paraboobizarre



Category: The Following
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-03
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-07 08:58:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/746683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paraboobizarre/pseuds/paraboobizarre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So many things could go wrong with their Sarah assignment, but the last thing on Jacob's long list of worries had been Paul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All By Myself

Jacob knew the Sarah assignment wasn't going to be easy. He thought he was walking into that with open eyes. False identity, forced to switch schools, states even. Having to pretend to be gay and madly in love with Paul.  
The funny thing is, before they moved here he was worried about a lot of things going wrong and he would wake up most nights, cold sweat beading on his face, because he dreamt the tiniest little thing tripped them up, exposed them. Their false IDs, someone from their actual pasts suddenly showing up and recognizing them or they would simply fail to make any sort of meaningful connection to Sarah.

The last item on his long list of worries was Paul. Somehow they would work out the gay thing. A little hand-holding, kissing and touching in front of Sarah, calling each other stupid nicknames and having to come up with some sort of believable story of how they met (At a party of a friend. It was magic.) – they could do that. And then they could close the door to their apartment and be regular friends once more. It would be like having a room mate again and that was fun in college, so why not now?

The gay thing works like a charm, just like Emma predicted and within two weeks Sarah's over the moon with how perfect and cute and Oh my God! they are. Paul turns up the gay charm, finding his balance somewhere between overly manly and card-carrying feather boa princess and Jacob gets to watch _Bridget Jones's Diary_ with Sarah on their fourth weekend, curling up on the couch with her and talking about his precious little feelings for the guy who's run off to the gym to escape the movie. Not that he says that. No, they had a bit of a fight. Yes, he really is a poor thing. 

If it's extra believable that night, it's because he doesn't need to fake his frustration with Paul. It's real, it's there and it's hovering above them like a cloud.  
Paul is extra sweet with him whenever Sarah is around, even called him sweet pea once and if Jacob's ensuing blush made Sarah oh and ah and squeak in delight, well then that was because that one came totally out of left field. He's always around in a way that was a bit annoying at first but that Jacob actually came to enjoy after some time. It's like he's the center of Paul's universe whenever Sarah's watching and who wouldn't like that?

As soon as their door falls into its lock though it's like Paul can't away from him fast enough. There's always something that needs to be done, work, computer stuff, something in the apartment, he goes running or to the gym, stays out late with his new buddies from work. He's avoiding him but no matter how much Jacob racks his brain he can't find a reason why.

Paul's switching from sweet and attentive to cold shoulder so fast, it's making Jacob's head spin and he has to scramble to keep up with a game, where, apparently, no one bothered to tell him the rules. 

On the screen a chubby Renée Zellweger is howling _All By Myself_ into a rolled up magazine, drowning in her self pity and Sarah cuddles up to him, patting his leg consolingly.  
“Just give him some time. I'm sure it'll work itself out somehow. He loves you after all - anyone can see that.”


End file.
